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All Rise...

You can bide your time and hold out hope that Appellate Judge James A. Stewart will explain the Gankutsuou catchphrase to you in his review, but you'll be disappointed.

The Charge

"Feelings of hatred and jealousy towards another are emotions which
silently fester and grow, unbeknownst to the object of their affections. The
happier that person is, the less aware he is of their feelings."
—The Count of Monte Cristo

The Case

The Count of Monte Cristo, as it will soon turn out, isn't the only one who
has festering feelings of hatred and jealousy.

As we begin Chapter 3, we see Albert running for help.

"It's an emergency. Someone send for a doctor!" he yells.

Madame Danglars has just fainted during a house party at the Count's. Albert
is also taken ill. It turns out that he drank water at the Villeforts' table.
The Count believes that the poison was meant for Valentine, sending Albert,
Franz, and Maximilien rushing to the Villefort house to find her in a deep sleep
from which she may never awaken.

Albert also has a clash with the Count's mysterious young friend, Andrea
Cavalcanti, who taunts that he is the only one who understands the mysterious
Count, and who reveals designs on Eugenie, Albert's fiancée.

In Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo—Chapter 3, the story
begins to move away from its original source by focusing on the offspring of the
noble conspirators Moncerf, Villefort, and Danglars. Aside from rushing to
Valentine's aid, they're starting to consider the Count's background, just as
their worried elders are doing. Franz follows the Count, hearing him called
"Gankutsuou" by his loyal servant for the first time, and Albert looks
in on a secret meeting about Edmond Dantes that involves his father, Villefort,
Danglars, and a less noble character named Caderousse.

This volume ends with more complications, but also signs that Albert has
reached some kind of turning point. "I'm so frustrated at how weak and
pathetic I really am," he confides to the Count near the end of the last
episode here. There are four:

It's safe to say Gankutsuou has a strong visual style. I even failed
to fast-forward through the opening credits, even after seeing them several
times already. That look isn't realistic, since the patterns on clothes don't
move and life doesn't look like an artistic collage, but it is fascinating. It
drew me in so I could get involved with the large cast of characters and the
many storylines in this serial. The look also takes on a psychedelic darkness at
places in this volume, reflecting the tortured mental states of some of the
characters. Again, the distinctive look of one new
character—Caderousse—is something to watch for.

As with past volumes, the main bonus is some original Japanese promo spots,
with the voice actors commenting on their characters and the story. The actress
who plays Eugenie recalls being embarrassed as she read her romantic dialogue as
things heated up between Eugenie and Albert. These are fun, but if they release
a box set without them later, you won't miss them.

This is also the volume that explains the meaning of the show's tagline,
"Bide your time and hold out hope."

Not guilty. Let's hope that protects it from a stay at the Chateau d'If.